Retford Primary Care Centre brings community together with artwork collaboration project
In a bid to create a more welcoming and vibrant environment for young patients, Retford Primary Care Centre and its surrounding sites have launched an exciting new initiative: the artwork collaboration project. This effort, spearheaded by Health Centre Manager, Natasha Wall and Clerical Officer, Josephine Timpson from Nottinghamshire Healthcare, aims to transform the centre's waiting area into a more inviting space for young visitors and patients, particularly those who may find healthcare settings intimidating.
After taking over as Health Centre Manager in April 2024, Natasha quickly realised that the waiting area at the centre felt sterile and uninviting. "We wanted to make it a space that felt warm, friendly, and welcoming, especially for our younger patients who might already be feeling anxious about their visit and decided to get local schools involved in the transformation," said Natasha.
The collaboration began with a partnership with St Giles School, a local special needs school. After reaching out to the school, the team introduced a theme of autumn, asking students to create artwork inspired by what autumn meant to them. The school eagerly embraced the project, and their work is now proudly displayed in the waiting area.
Helen Gentle, Arts Lead at St. Giles, shared her enthusiasm about the school's involvement in the project: "We are delighted to contribute and excited to present the autumnal-themed collaborative prints created by our students. At St. Giles, we strive to showcase the talent and creativity of our students, and this is a great chance to increase our visibility within the community. We appreciate being given the opportunity to participate and look forward to seeing the positive impact of this collaboration."
The project has continued to grow with great excitement. Retford Primary Care Centre expanded its invitation to other local schools, and the North Wheatley Church of England Primary School readily accepted. They sent a lovely letter along with their students' artwork, expressing how the children were inspired by the opportunity to think of others. The range of creative work, from ages 3 to 11, truly showcases their enthusiasm. It has been a meaningful experience for all involved, and they are grateful for the chance to support such a worthy cause. The centre is also expecting another collection of artworks from another school later this week, with even more schools eager to participate.
"We are thrilled with the response so far," said Natasha. "It's wonderful to see the community come together to make this space more welcoming. The artwork is already catching the attention of visitors, and it's heartwarming to hear the positive comments from everyone."
Looking ahead, the team plans to continue the collaboration with local schools, changing the theme every half-term to ensure a diverse range of artwork from the children. "This is just the beginning. We want to keep the momentum going and stay connected with our local schools to bring even more creativity into the centre," said Natasha.
Amy Eagle, Care Group Director of Community Health and Specialist Services, expressed, "I'm incredibly proud of this collaboration and thrilled to see it continue and expand, providing a platform to showcase the fantastic work created by our local schools."
The artwork collaboration project has also received positive feedback on the Retford Information Facebook page, where it has been shared widely and praised by the local community. The photos of the artwork have been sent to the participating schools so parents can celebrate their children's contributions to the health centre.
Retford Primary Care Centre is proud of the progress made so far and is excited to see how the project continues to develop. "We hope that this project not only brightens up the waiting area but also brings the community closer together," said Natasha.
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